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. 2022 Jan 25;22:104. doi: 10.1186/s12885-022-09196-x

Table 2.

Results of meta-analyses of toxicities reported in randomized controlled trials with weekly versus three-weekly docetaxel

Toxicity No. studies Ref Weekly
Totals
n/N
Three-weekly
Totals
n/N
Pooled RR 95% CI p I2 (%) Pq τ2
Grade 3/4
 Neutropenia 3 [22, 23, 25] 14/179 87/177 0.16 0.10 – 0.27  < 0.001 0 0.67 0
 Febrile Neutropenia 3 [22, 23, 25] 5/179 27/177 0.21 0.08 – 0.55  < 0.01 0 0.48 0
 Neuropathy 4 [2225] 5/227 20/231 0.29 0.11 – 0.78 0.01 0 0.66 0
 Infections 3 [22, 24, 25] 10/168 9/172 1.11 0.45 – 2.73 0.82 0 0.62 0
 Fatigue/Asthenia 3 [22, 23, 25] 23/179 28/177 0.81 0.48–1.37 0.44 1 0.36 0.003
 Fluid retention/edema/effusions 4 [2225] 13/227 8/231 1.49 0.44 – 5.02 0.52 31 0.23 0.472
 Skin toxicity 3 [22, 24, 25] 19/168 9/172 2.04 0.75 – 5.56 0.16 34 0.22 0.269
 Nausea a 4 [2225] 11/227 15/231 0.74 0.31–1.78 0.50 12 0.33 0.094
 Vomiting a 4 [2225] 12/227 14/231 0.85 0.30–2.37 0.75 32 0.22 0.358
 Diarrhea 3 [22, 24, 25] 8/168 17/172 0.50 0.22–1.14 0.10 0 0.67 0
 ≥ Grade 3 or leading to treatment withdrawal
 Epiphora/lacrimation 2 [22, 23] 13/100 3/100 3.62 1.07–12.22 0.04 0 0.47 0
 ≥ Grade 2 or leading to treatment withdrawal
 Onycholysis b,c 2 [22, 25] 16/120 4/118 3.90 1.34 – 11.32 0.01 0 0.79 0
Other
 Patient withdrawals due to toxicity 2 [22, 25] 43/120 27/118 1.52 1.00 – 2.32 0.05 11 0.29 0.011

n number of patients with an event in the treatment arm, N Total number of patients in the treatment arm, RR risk ratio, CI confidence interval, Pq p-value for heterogeneity, I2 measure of statistical heterogeneity, τ2 between-study variance

aEvents from studies where combined outcome was reported cases were counted in both separate analyzed toxicities

bGrade cut off based on largest group available for analysis

cRef. [23] not included in analysis since no grade 2 onycholysis reported